I find this so funny. That's all. Thanks ICanHasCheezberger, you rock.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Friday, February 22, 2008
Dyed pencil rovings, stage 2!
Now, I know the previous photo looked good, but it didn't truly capture incandescent & angry tone of the orange. So I plunked it all back into the slow cooker, this time, adding only blue kooaid to the water, as opposed to sprinkling the powder directly onto the wool, then plastic-wrapping. I didn't use vinegar either time, & it seems to have worked marvelously! I'm in the process of spinning this into (very uneven & lumpy) yarn. It's quite lovely & subtle, soft peachy-browns fading into blue, with occasional little hits of orange. I think I need to work at bit more at finessing my handling of the rovings though - it had started to matt/felt just a little bit, which is making it hard to draft well to spin it with my spindle.
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Did I mention I'm loving my spinning class? I'm loving my spinning class.
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As well, I just figured out that I can use Flickr to post into Blogger, so I can blog/upload photos in one fell swoop! Huzzah!
The rovings, after stage 1. Feb 18
Yes, a success: dyeing things in the slow cooker worked marveloussly - it wasn't hot enough to melt the cling wrap seperating the colors from each other; it cooked all the dye into the wool - for once, the ater was totally clear! It was awesome.
The Best of Soul Train Feb 16
This was on. The Best of Soul Train, I mean. I think I was meant to dance on Soul Train, because I totally bust moves just like these people do. Well, maybe not liek the performers, who were... spectacular, as in worth of spectating. Their ensembles, in case you can't tell, included varying headgear inspired by ziggurats, filmy organza wings, lyrca leggings (covering one or both legs), and sequined bras & codpieces/hot pants. It was amazing.
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I can't wait to tune in next week to see what else the Best of Soul Train has to offer!
Thursday, February 21, 2008
It smelled like spring today.
It was Wednesday today, which is obvious, yes, but Wednesday has come to mean not the middle of the work-week, but swimming lesson day! Swimming lessons are awesome, with the only awkward part the post-swim shower & change. Today's shower was mucho better, as I brought along a sling & used it to keep Amoryn braced on my hip. It may seem a little weird, but have you ever tried to shower holding a naked baby, shampoo her hair, rinse your own swimsuit, and not drop anything, especially the baby? And no, I am most certanly not going to ever, ever set my girl down on the floor of the shower. I wear flipflops in there for a reason, a good reason, a reason that involves all those stranger's feet & the warm, moist, hospitable environment that 10 showers in a single room create. *shudder* I gag in horror when other women set their babies down - BARE-BOTTOMED! - but I try not to judge. Sure, maybe you can't hold them, but land's sake people, put down a towel or something. That baby is going to get something awful or WORSE on its poor little fat bottom.
.
So yes! Moving away from that awful scenario, it was Wednesday, which is in between Tuesdays & Thursdays, which are both engineering office work days where Am gets a babysitter & I get spreadsheets. Of course, I'm doing some bookkeeping on the side now, so "work" is creeping in all over the place. But I still want my Wednesday to be like a little mini-weekend day for Am & I - minimal housecleaning, fun stuff like playing all afternoon, with no momma doing dishes. (Although Am does enjoy that - it gives her an excellent chance to sneak up on the catfood.)
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So we went for a stroll! We strolled to the mailbox, we strolled around an easment to a different cul-de-sac, & we explored a "new" playground. It had a nice quick baby-friendly slide, which Amoryn adored (I was holding her from over the side, of course), it had a rocking horse which was quite a bit too big, a dinosaur that was quite a bit too dirty, and a little rocking car that was quite interesting. And there were two swings - one baby-bucket ("for VERY SMALL CHILDREN"), and one regular swing (whose warning I did not read before sitting on). Swinging was warmly recieved, as always.
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And as we strolled home the long way (because we could), there were wafts & very occasional gusts of spring flirting with my nose. I know spring's not ready to put out yet, but it makes me feel good that she's starting to fix her hair, & decide what to wear, & put on some perfume, & get ready for the big date.
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And now I have a date with my bed & my little green fuzzy booties, which are an anniversary present from the man. They have removable heatable insoles, & I've been sleeping with them on, & I lurve them almost as much as I love the man. He's so cool.
.
So yes! Moving away from that awful scenario, it was Wednesday, which is in between Tuesdays & Thursdays, which are both engineering office work days where Am gets a babysitter & I get spreadsheets. Of course, I'm doing some bookkeeping on the side now, so "work" is creeping in all over the place. But I still want my Wednesday to be like a little mini-weekend day for Am & I - minimal housecleaning, fun stuff like playing all afternoon, with no momma doing dishes. (Although Am does enjoy that - it gives her an excellent chance to sneak up on the catfood.)
.
So we went for a stroll! We strolled to the mailbox, we strolled around an easment to a different cul-de-sac, & we explored a "new" playground. It had a nice quick baby-friendly slide, which Amoryn adored (I was holding her from over the side, of course), it had a rocking horse which was quite a bit too big, a dinosaur that was quite a bit too dirty, and a little rocking car that was quite interesting. And there were two swings - one baby-bucket ("for VERY SMALL CHILDREN"), and one regular swing (whose warning I did not read before sitting on). Swinging was warmly recieved, as always.
.
And as we strolled home the long way (because we could), there were wafts & very occasional gusts of spring flirting with my nose. I know spring's not ready to put out yet, but it makes me feel good that she's starting to fix her hair, & decide what to wear, & put on some perfume, & get ready for the big date.
.
And now I have a date with my bed & my little green fuzzy booties, which are an anniversary present from the man. They have removable heatable insoles, & I've been sleeping with them on, & I lurve them almost as much as I love the man. He's so cool.
.
I shall leave you with this warm idea from I Can Has Cheezberger, http://icanhascheezburger.com/
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Who Trusts A Weather Forecast More Than Five Days In Advance?, or Why I Don’t Care About the American Election
I'm officially tired everything about the American election. It's not until November, people! We're Canadian; we don't even get to vote! Why is it everywhere - including my hip-hop radio station?
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I hardly pay attention to our own government's doings because really, they are beyond my control. And the people in power, they're liars. Even if they're not inveterate liars about everything, they get forced into it. I know this. It's a fact. I'm a liar too - but in a small scale, as my powers are small.
.
I say "All right, we're going to clean up the toys & then go for a walk." But the weather changes or Amoryn has a giant poo or something else and poof! it's nap time & I'm a liar. Good intentions butter no bread, I'm sure someone's granny says that.
Epic toy spill coupled with noxious diaper derails stroller plan... news update at 11.
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Despite my best efforts, it happens occasionally. The scale of power that the goverment controls is so much more massive that it turns into "We're going to change health care / cut tax/ end child poverty." But then... there's the deficit / Senate / giant lighting bolts form God. So they turn into liars. This is the way it is; I end up voting for who I think has the best intentions. Mostly. Sometimes I pick based on who's the biggest loser - who's going to really appreciate my vote? (Here in a very conservative riding, I generally vote Green. An added bonus - as I haven't voted the government in, I can vetch about them all I want.)
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Now, I do accept that the American election is important to Canada, & thus to me. The election isn't until early November though! I have things to pay attention to right now, that are really important. Like lunch.
.
I hardly pay attention to our own government's doings because really, they are beyond my control. And the people in power, they're liars. Even if they're not inveterate liars about everything, they get forced into it. I know this. It's a fact. I'm a liar too - but in a small scale, as my powers are small.
.
I say "All right, we're going to clean up the toys & then go for a walk." But the weather changes or Amoryn has a giant poo or something else and poof! it's nap time & I'm a liar. Good intentions butter no bread, I'm sure someone's granny says that.
Epic toy spill coupled with noxious diaper derails stroller plan... news update at 11.
.
Despite my best efforts, it happens occasionally. The scale of power that the goverment controls is so much more massive that it turns into "We're going to change health care / cut tax/ end child poverty." But then... there's the deficit / Senate / giant lighting bolts form God. So they turn into liars. This is the way it is; I end up voting for who I think has the best intentions. Mostly. Sometimes I pick based on who's the biggest loser - who's going to really appreciate my vote? (Here in a very conservative riding, I generally vote Green. An added bonus - as I haven't voted the government in, I can vetch about them all I want.)
.
Now, I do accept that the American election is important to Canada, & thus to me. The election isn't until early November though! I have things to pay attention to right now, that are really important. Like lunch.
Fears that the electoral majority are won through their stomachs founded, new study reveals.
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And then later, doing more laundry so that the girl can wear her almost too-small 18-mo clothing, instead of her slightly too big 24-mo clothing. Hmm.
Big baby bending budget - critics worry when will mad growth end?
And then later, doing more laundry so that the girl can wear her almost too-small 18-mo clothing, instead of her slightly too big 24-mo clothing. Hmm.
Big baby bending budget - critics worry when will mad growth end?
(Our 10-month old girl in her 24-month coveralls & shirt. So sweet! Luscious baby wale-corduroy!)
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Well, even if I decide to move her into her 24-mo clothing, I still have to wash the outgrown stuff before I put it into the hamper to save for as hand-me downs. (I always thought it was Handy-Downs, as a a kid. Or maybe Han Dee Downs...)
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Anyways. Please, please media & the rest of the universe, conspire for the day so that I hear something other than "Obama", "Hillary", "Blue state", etc. Thanks.
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Now, let's get back to lunch! And the new melamine turtle bowl! Yumm!
.
Well, even if I decide to move her into her 24-mo clothing, I still have to wash the outgrown stuff before I put it into the hamper to save for as hand-me downs. (I always thought it was Handy-Downs, as a a kid. Or maybe Han Dee Downs...)
.
Anyways. Please, please media & the rest of the universe, conspire for the day so that I hear something other than "Obama", "Hillary", "Blue state", etc. Thanks.
.
Now, let's get back to lunch! And the new melamine turtle bowl! Yumm!
Monday, February 04, 2008
Ha. Arg. Gotta go.
This isn't nearly as funny - or illustrated - as Whoopee's blog about phone copmpanies - http://yetanotherbloomingblog.blogspot.com/2008/01/brief-working-notes-for-epic-norse-war.html - she even features antique nudity. Really.
At any rate. I just got off of the phone with two different employees of HBC. The first one I called to cancel the Mastercard that they were automatically upgrading my Bay card to. I was already irritated, I admit; I'd spent an hour + sorting & filing reciepts into piles so that I can do the bookkeeping for them later. And to find a letter, letting me know that I get a Mastercard! Without any effort! Oh boy! Be sure to spend lots!, well. It increased my irritation. I called the number to say "No, does not want", and went through their automated system. The automated system subjected me to a lovely 2 minute spiel about all of the wonders of the Mastercard, then said "if you don't want, press 2". I did, then pressed 8 to speak to someone further. It simply seemed too easy to cancel it that way; there was no verification, no nothing. Also, I wanted to know who I had to call to remove my name & phone number & address from the apparently inexhaustible array of amazing offers, special deals, incredible events, & free* things. The woman I spoke to spent another 2 minutes trying to make sure that I really understood how special I was to the HBC, that I should feel honored that they trusted me enough to recieve such a special offer with such amazing perks, and so forth. Eventually my mantra of "Does not want... remove from list... does not want... remove from list..." sank into her consciousness. Then I asked about the cancellation - well, she can send out a letter to me, but first, let her confirm that address. "Well, I will give you the cancellation number provided to me, then you can pull up my address." "All right!" she says. "Then can I have you address to confirm?" "No. It's the same address as is on this letter, that arrived in the mail yesterday. I haven't moved." "But I need to confirm," she says. I am not giving my address out to anyone; I'm quite certain that even though they have it already, there is a secret database that they store recalcitrant, master-card-free addresses in, then set them up to be automatically dialed by a fax maxchine at 2 am & recieve mailers about Enhancing! Your! Male! Parts! "Why don't you read me the address you have, & I can let you know it's the same", I say, adopting her cloyingly sweet wheedle. "I cannot do that." she replied, finally dropping the sucrose. "Well then, I'm not giving you my address, you can't confirm, so mail the letter confirming canellation or not; but give me the number to remove myself from all of the free* offers etc. She did, grudgingly, I chipperly apologized for being a bear, & wished her a verry nice day & hung up before she could get out one last time, how much I really mean to the Bay. It was like a verrry weird breakup with a passive aggressive needy boyfriend, using a script.
.
My loins fully girded, I steeled myself for another ten minute quest into the automaton world of HBC. I was surprised & completely disarmed to find that the phone was answered on the third ring by a man, named Doral, who had me un-subscribed & feeling quite happy in three minutes flat.
.
Other than bearding various telemarketing lions in their dens, I've been pretty busy. I've got all sorts of knitting things just completed & on the go; pictures & a post to follow at some point (I know, you can't bear the anticipation...), I've been working more for the office, I've been taking the girl to swim lessons, I've tried to get to the gym for myself too, and well. I've been busy. It's not you, it's me. I did manage to update FLlckr yesterday - I resolve to try & get it done weekly, if nothing else, because it takes faaaaaaaar to long to do it monthly. Plus also, it leaves the grandparents & other baby fans in the lurch.
.
Speaking of the babe, she just started singing, so I'd best go & get her, stuff some lunch in both of us, then head off to my old office, where I am picking up some work to do from home. Yes. I now have three jobs - Amoryn, the engineering office, & the accounting office. (Not counting work that doesn't pay in baby snuggles or cash - which leaves out keeping track of our company AND housework as jobs.) Stay tuned to see how the balancing act all works out... assuming of course, that I have time to post!
*Free! for the first month, then for a low, low monthly fee of $14.95....
At any rate. I just got off of the phone with two different employees of HBC. The first one I called to cancel the Mastercard that they were automatically upgrading my Bay card to. I was already irritated, I admit; I'd spent an hour + sorting & filing reciepts into piles so that I can do the bookkeeping for them later. And to find a letter, letting me know that I get a Mastercard! Without any effort! Oh boy! Be sure to spend lots!, well. It increased my irritation. I called the number to say "No, does not want", and went through their automated system. The automated system subjected me to a lovely 2 minute spiel about all of the wonders of the Mastercard, then said "if you don't want, press 2". I did, then pressed 8 to speak to someone further. It simply seemed too easy to cancel it that way; there was no verification, no nothing. Also, I wanted to know who I had to call to remove my name & phone number & address from the apparently inexhaustible array of amazing offers, special deals, incredible events, & free* things. The woman I spoke to spent another 2 minutes trying to make sure that I really understood how special I was to the HBC, that I should feel honored that they trusted me enough to recieve such a special offer with such amazing perks, and so forth. Eventually my mantra of "Does not want... remove from list... does not want... remove from list..." sank into her consciousness. Then I asked about the cancellation - well, she can send out a letter to me, but first, let her confirm that address. "Well, I will give you the cancellation number provided to me, then you can pull up my address." "All right!" she says. "Then can I have you address to confirm?" "No. It's the same address as is on this letter, that arrived in the mail yesterday. I haven't moved." "But I need to confirm," she says. I am not giving my address out to anyone; I'm quite certain that even though they have it already, there is a secret database that they store recalcitrant, master-card-free addresses in, then set them up to be automatically dialed by a fax maxchine at 2 am & recieve mailers about Enhancing! Your! Male! Parts! "Why don't you read me the address you have, & I can let you know it's the same", I say, adopting her cloyingly sweet wheedle. "I cannot do that." she replied, finally dropping the sucrose. "Well then, I'm not giving you my address, you can't confirm, so mail the letter confirming canellation or not; but give me the number to remove myself from all of the free* offers etc. She did, grudgingly, I chipperly apologized for being a bear, & wished her a verry nice day & hung up before she could get out one last time, how much I really mean to the Bay. It was like a verrry weird breakup with a passive aggressive needy boyfriend, using a script.
.
My loins fully girded, I steeled myself for another ten minute quest into the automaton world of HBC. I was surprised & completely disarmed to find that the phone was answered on the third ring by a man, named Doral, who had me un-subscribed & feeling quite happy in three minutes flat.
.
Other than bearding various telemarketing lions in their dens, I've been pretty busy. I've got all sorts of knitting things just completed & on the go; pictures & a post to follow at some point (I know, you can't bear the anticipation...), I've been working more for the office, I've been taking the girl to swim lessons, I've tried to get to the gym for myself too, and well. I've been busy. It's not you, it's me. I did manage to update FLlckr yesterday - I resolve to try & get it done weekly, if nothing else, because it takes faaaaaaaar to long to do it monthly. Plus also, it leaves the grandparents & other baby fans in the lurch.
.
Speaking of the babe, she just started singing, so I'd best go & get her, stuff some lunch in both of us, then head off to my old office, where I am picking up some work to do from home. Yes. I now have three jobs - Amoryn, the engineering office, & the accounting office. (Not counting work that doesn't pay in baby snuggles or cash - which leaves out keeping track of our company AND housework as jobs.) Stay tuned to see how the balancing act all works out... assuming of course, that I have time to post!
*Free! for the first month, then for a low, low monthly fee of $14.95....
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